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 published: 2004-04-20

When the Easter Fire lights the world

Holy Week and Easter in Schoenstatt: The Light of this Night illumines the passion of the world and of each one's life

Cielo de Pascua en Schoenstatt, temprano la mañana

Easter skies in Schoenstatt

Ostermorgen über Schönstatt

Foto: Kaut © 2004

 

El fuego de Pascuas 2004, Iglesia de la Adoración

Easter fire 2004, Adoration Church

Osterfeuer 2004, Anbetungskirche

 
 

El cirio pascual está encendido

The Easter Candle is lit

Die Osterkerze wird entzündet

 
 

Procesión a la Iglesia

Procession to the church

Prozession in die Kirche

 
 

Entrega de la vela matrimonial

The marriage candle is offered

Überreichung der Hochzeitskerzen

 

Juventud Femenina de España, preparando el fuego de Pascuas

Girls‘ Youth from Spain preparing the Easter fire

Mädchenjugend aus Spanien bereitet das Osterfeuer vor

 
 

El Santuario Original, Domingo de Pascuas 2004

The Original Shrine, Easter Sunday 2004

Urheiligtum am Ostersonntag 2004

Fotos: POS Fischer © 2004

 

Participantes del curso pre-matrimonial, en el Santuario de Monte Moriah

Participants of the marriage preparation seminar, at the Shrine at Mount Moriah

Teilnehmer des Ehevorbereitungsseminars am Ostermontag vor dem Heiligtum Berg Moriah

Foto: Denkinger © 2004

 

Christián Julio, Marcela Mas, Veronica Julio, de Chile

Christián Julio, Marcela Mas, Veronica Julio, from  Chile

Christián Julio, Marcela Mas, Veronica Julio, aus Chile

 
 

Lizzie Loetz, La Paz, Bolivia, con su hijo

Lizzie Loetz, La Paz, Bolivia, with her son

Lizzie Loetz, La Paz, Bolivien, mit ihrem Sohn

 
 

La casa Marienau – todavia esperando a su „Pascuas“

House Marienau – still expecting its „Easter“

Haus Marienau wartet als große Baustelle noch auf sein „Ostern“

 

Fotos: POS Fischer © 2004

 

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "I did not understand one word… But when the Easter fire was lit, and when all processed into the completely dark church, and one candle after the other started to illumine the darkness, I thought: Jesus has risen as he promised, he has risen today!" Easter joy 204 in Schoenstatt had many "faces" and facets, with youth from Switzerland and Spain, couples preparing for their marriage, individual visitors from Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and many other countries celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord, but it was one common experience - The Light of this Night illumines the passion of the world and of each one's life.

As if nature wanted to underline the Easter message, after some rainy and cold days during Holy Week, sun broke through on Easter Sunday, and warmer temperatures made forsythia, tulips, daffodils (in German called "Easter Bell"), peach trees, magnolia, tulip-trees and what ever may grow and blossom in spring burst in a cascade of colors, telling of life that has risen from death after the long cold of winter… of Life, Jesus, risen in the tears and terror of April 2004.

The wide variety and diversity of Schoenstatt was mirrored in a multitude of different celebrations of Easter Vigil (as already before during Holy Week): while the main celebration took place in the Adoration Church, Mount Schoenstatt, at the Eve of Easter Sunday, a group of the Schoenstatt Girls' Youth from Spain, together with some participants from Latin America, celebrated their Easter Vigil at the same time in the Shrine of the Federation of Priests; the families who participated in a retreat in the House of the Families, had their own Easter Mass; early in the morning, at 5:00 AM, the Schoenstatt Fathers on Mount Sion lit the Easter fire, as well as the 100 or so persons who had come to the Pilgrims' Church at this early hour. The Girls' Youth from Switzerland is said to have participated the night before and early in the morning…

Blessing of the Marriage Candles

The Adoration Church was filled with participants from all continents and branches, when at 7:30 PM the Easter fire was lit and the Easter candle, lit with this fire, was solemnly carried into the church.

The couples participating in a course of marriage preparation - taking place at Mount Moriah - took part in this celebration; as a special highlight, they brought their self-designed marriage candles to the altar, where each candle and each couple was blessed.

Before, after the renewal of the baptismal vows, all renewed the Covenant of Love, and joined in singing to the Risen Lord with his Mother - uniting in this special moment with the Schoenstatt family all over the world, praying especially for all who suffer from terror and violence - in Burundi, Zimbabwe, Colombia …-, with all who suffer personally with losses, broken plans and hopes, and with all who on this Easter were sealing their Covenant of Love, dedicating their home shrines, or anticipating special blessing to come: the dedication of the Shrine in Garanhuns come April 18, the 5th anniversary of the Shrine in Tucuman, and the 10th anniversary of the wayside shrine in Goya, Argentina, that same day, the beginning of the Schoenstatt Fathers' novitiate in Tuparenda, Paraguay, with a big number of young men from Latin America that day, the beginning of the Schoenstatt Sisters' postulancy with four young women in Argentina on April 25…

The flag from Bolivia for the dedication of the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine in Rome

The week before, young women from all regions of Germany had participated in a retreat in House Sonnenau.

Christian and Verónica Julio, from Santiago, Chile, spent three intense and special days in Schoenstatt, meeting with compatriots, and sharing Schoenstatt experiences.

Lizzie Loetz, from La Paz, Bolivia - leader of the Mothers' branch and correspondent for schoenstatt.de - came with her son Luis and with a special mission: to bring the flag from Bolivia to Schoenstatt. "I read the letter sent from Rome to the International Schoenstatt Family, by Fr. Alberto Eronti, with the invitation to all participating countries to bring their flags so they would surround the Shrine. I don't think anybody from Bolivia will be present, but I want our country and our Schoenstatt Family to be present, so I bring the flag… We will also somehow manage to get our jar with our capital of grace to Rome!"

Talking about Schoenstatt as a family… a young woman from Johannesburg, South Africa, actually in Schoenstatt, who payed a short visit to Rome, met there Simon Donnelly, from the Schoenstatt family in South Africa, actually studying in Rome, and Francisca Mas, from Chile, studying in Italy, too, and could bring a little note from Francisca to her mother, who actually was in Schoenstatt… Easter is a reality!



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